Wes Welker just demonstrated why teams often choose to rest their starters in Week Seventeen.
On New England’s third offensive play, Welker went down with a knee injury after making a 12-yard catch. His knee buckled before getting tackled and he had to be helped off the field.
Welker was distraught on the bench after the injury, burying his face in a towel. Welker was carted to the locker room a few minutes later.
Tom Brady and Randy Moss remained in the game for the Patriots, who trail 7-0 after a 76-yard march by the Texans on the game’s first possession.
UPDATE: Welker’s knee clearly was hurt before he was touched by a defender. But the player that officially got the tackle on Welker’s play was none other than Bernard Pollard. Eerie.
UPDATE II: Welker will not return. No surprise there.